Growth, activity of phytohormones and inhibitors, and photosynthesis of dwarf pea mutants under different conditions of illumination.

A clear correlation was found between the growth of mutant forms of pea plants and the light intensity: With an increase in the latter the growth of the plants was inhibited and the rate of photosynthesis increased. The inhibitory action of light on stem growth affected not only tall pea plants, but also dwarf forms. A definite link was observed between the genetic apparatus and the balance of endogenous phytohormones and inhibitors. The content of bound forms of gibberellins was directly related to the growth intensity--the content of these substances was highest in the tall Torsdag pea plant, it was lower in the semidwarf K-29, and it was very low in the dwarf K-202. The content of quercetin glucosylcoumarate was lowest in Torsdag pea plants, in dwarf mutants the greater the amount of this compound the shorter the stem. The genetically determined ratio of phytohormones and inhibitors in the original tall and dwarf forms of pea plants is retained under all illumination conditions at various intensities.